Brussels and French Police conduct raids in European Parliament offices amid Russian influence probe
On Wednesday morning, Brussels and French police carried out a series of simultaneous raids at European Parliament offices in Brussels and Strasbourg, as well as at the home of a parliamentary staffer in the Belgian neighborhood of Schaerbeek. These searches are part of an extensive investigation into a suspected Russian influence operation believed to have paid Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to disseminate pro-Kremlin propaganda within EU institutions.
The Belgian Prosecutor, who ordered Wednesday’s searches, stated there are “indications” that the parliamentary staffer involved played a “significant role” in the Russian propaganda operation. These raids in the European Parliament is connected to a case involving “interference, passive corruption, and membership of a criminal organization”.
It remains unclear what position the staffer holds within the parliament or whether the individual works directly for one of the parliament’s elected lawmakers. When asked for an official statement by Euronews, the European Parliament’s press services responded: “We can’t comment on ongoing investigations”.
The statement added, “When and if requested to, the European Parliament fully cooperates with law enforcement and judicial authorities to assist the course of justice and will continue to do so. It is this context that access to an office was provided”.
Links to Voice of Europe
The search is the latest development in an ongoing investigation into the Dutch-listed news company Voice of Europe, which was sanctioned by the European Union earlier this month for spreading Kremlin propaganda. The news outlet claimed to provide “uncensored news from Europe and the world” and conducted interviews and debates with MEPs from the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg as recently as March.
In late March, Czech authorities announced they had uncovered a Russian influence operation conducted through Voice of Europe, alleging financial transactions were made to elected officials in both the European Parliament and national parliaments. Czech media, citing intelligence officials, reported that the allegations involve politicians from Germany, France, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Hungary.
MEPs deny financial benefits
One of the MEPs interviewed by Voice of Europe was Anders Vistisen, representing the European Parliament’s far-right faction, Identity and Democracy (ID), in debates ahead of June’s European elections. When asked by Euronews earlier this month if he had been paid for the interview, Vistisen firmly denied it, stating, “No, of course not. That interview was set up at the same premise as this interview. I was asked to give an interview and I obliged. That’s my job as a politician.”
MEP Maximilian Krah, whose Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was recently expelled from its European family after making controversial Nazi comments to an Italian newspaper, also denied financial benefits from Voice of Europe. He asserted that despite giving interviews to the company, he had not received any financial compensation. “There is no specific allegation that I was paid for any of these,” Krah said on X. “This shows what to think of the current campaign: Nothing!” Krah’s assistant has since been arrested on suspicion of spying for China.
Implications for upcoming elections
The latest development in the investigation comes just days before approximately 370 million EU voters head to the polls to elect new members of the European Parliament, in an election widely feared to be a target of Kremlin interference. As the probe continues, it underscores the growing concerns about foreign influence on democratic processes within the EU.
